Pvt schools punch holes in draft
Chandigarh, December 21
Following a prolonged phase of confusion over the implementation of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, local schools and the UT administration finally came on one platform today to discuss the specifics.

Sour taste for sellersA police team along with officials launch an anti-encroachment drive against roadside kinnow vendors on the Chandigarh-Ambala highway on Tuesday. A Tribune photograph

2 hrs into meeting, Mayor realises its futility
Reason: MC chief on leave
Chandigarh, December 21
Showing lack of application of mind, more than two-and-a-half hours into a review meeting of an action taken report on projects pending for the last four years in the Municipal Corporation general house today, members suddenly realised that the entire exercise had been meaningless. The reason: The MC Commissioner was on leave and in his absence the meeting had no sanctity since no amendments could be made to the existing policy.

Cong largesse
Laptops for nominated councillors
Chandigarh, December 21
It certainly pays to be a nominated councillor in the Municipal Corporation, particularly during elections for the post of Mayor. Nine nominated councillors, who have been nominated on the basis of being both non-partisan and achievers in their respective fields, were today gifted the high-end Sony Vaio laptops costing Rs 46,500 each by the Congress Mayor, Anu
Chatrath.

Army refuses to give land for 4-laning
Panchkula, December 21
The four-laning of the Manimajra-Kalka-Zirakpur stretch of the National Highway-22 has hit a roadblock with the defence authorities refusing to provide land for the same.

Unchahar Express cancelled
Chandigarh, December 21
With most of the trains running behind schedule in the region due to fog for the past some days, the Northern Railway has decided to temporarily cancel Unchahar Express 4517-4518 running between Chandigarh and Allahabad from December 23. According to railway sources, the train will remain cancelled till January 31. — TNS

yearender 2010
Another year full of civic disappointments
The municipal corporation has no reason to “feel good” this year as it has neither launched any major new project nor has any old one that was hanging fire for a long time seen the light of the day.

The site of a multi-level parking in Sector 34. This is one of the projects of the MC that has
failed to take off. Tribune photo: Manoj Mahajan

Industry in city on revival track
Chandigarh, December 21
With the worldwide recession a thing of the past, the Chandigarh industry is on the revival track. After registering a marginal increase in the number of units and production from 2006 to 2008, the local industry has registered a substantial increase in the number of units and production, a development which may bring cheer to entrepreneurs and the Chandigarh administration.

Removal of unauthorised settlements
GMADA holds draw of lots for 66 evacuees
Mohali, December 21
After years of dialogue, the Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GMADA) today set the pace for removal of unauthorised settlements from erstwhile Lambina village falling in Sector 69. The occupants are now being settled at a new site near Matour village. To rehabilitate the evacuees, a draw of lots for 66 evacuees was held at PUDA Bhavan in Sector 62 here. Estate Officer GMADA Balbir Singh said alternative sites had already been kept for the evacuees.

22 BPL families to get flats
Panchkula, December 21
The state government will hold a draw of lots for the allotment of 22 flats to the BPL families from the quota reserved for them in the licensed colonies in community centre at Swastik Vihar in Mansa Devi Complex on December 22.Vijay Sharma, district town planner, said about 183 families had applied for flats and draw of lots would be held at 11 am. The actual cost of the flat was around Rs 1.5 lakh, he added.

Employees to wear black badges
Chandigarh, December 21
Members of the Chandigrah Housing Board Employees Coordination Committee have decided to launch peaceful agitation in a phased manner seeking implementation of the employees’ pension scheme.

Students of Saupin’s School perform during their annual function at Sector 32 in Chandigarh on Tuesday. Tribune photo: Vinay Malik

Students from rural areas visit city
Chandigarh, December 21
A group of 20 students hailing from remote areas of Kathua district of Jammu and Kashmir arrived in Chandigarh today as part of an Army-sponsored educational and motivational tour under operation Sadbhavna.

SRM Global inks pact with NIIT
Panchkula, December 21
In order to create a complete academic framework for skilled manpower in Information Technology in the region, SRM Global has collaborated with Asia’s largest IT trainer, NIIT, for “Global partnership in education and skill building for enhanced employability.”

Leadership training for students
Patiala, December 21
To inculcate the quality of leadership, confidence and for their exposure to represent themselves in United Nation Assembly, Patiala, Sahodaya Schools Complex organised a two-day training programme at DAV Public School, Bhupindra road, Patiala.

7-day NSS camp begins'
Patiala, December 21
A seven-day NSS camp was inaugurated at Jasdev Singh Sandhu College of Education, Kauli, under the supervision of Charanjit Singh and Dr Harjeet Kaur.

Commuters seek construction of Surajpur bypass
Kalka, December 21
Hundreds of Commuters from Chandigarh to
Baddi, who face frequent traffic Jam in the narrow bazaar of Pinjore have demanded the state government and NHAI to immediately construct Surajpur mini-bypass.

Beant Singh Assassination Case
Prime witness seeks four-wheeler conveyance
Chandigarh, December 21
Just over 15 years after he provided clues to the identity of Punjab’s then Chief Minister Beant Singh’s assassins, one of the prime witnesses, Balwinder Singh, moved the Punjab and Haryana High Court, seeking four-wheeler conveyance. Currently deployed as constable with the UT police, Balwinder Singh, and painter Surinder Sharma were instrumental in the arrest of the assassins, one of whom was facing the gallows. They had painted a grey ambassador car Franco white. It was subsequently used by the assassins in the crime.

Suspended from District Bar Association; police action sought
Chandigarh, December 21High drama was witnessed in the UT district courts when a ‘sting operation’ by an advocate, exposing the ‘lackadaisical’ security measures at the courts raised a storm amongst lawyers who subsequently expelled the advocate from the District Bar Association by passing a unanimous resolution.
The scene outside the district courts, where lawyers were frisked following a sting operation by one of their colleagues, in
Chandigarh on Tuesday. A Tribune photograph

Cop’s son rams car into vehicle
Panchkula, December 21
Driving rashly son of a senior IPS officer of the Haryana cadre today rammed his Ford Fiesta car into another one at the Sector 8 traffic light points late this evening. According to eye witnesses, Yogesh was driving his Ford Fiesta car no HR 03J 4777 at a speed of around 120 km per hour and dashed into the side of another Honda Accord car no PB 65J 0006, which was coming from the Nohoria hospital side.

3 cases solved, 9 arrested
Chandigarh, December 21
The Chandigarh Police today claimed to have solved 13 cases of burglary, snatching and auto-lifting with the arrest of nine persons.

The kingpin of a robbers’ gang, Bablu, in police custody in Chandigarh on Tuesday.A Tribune photograph

Six booked for blocking traffic
Zirakpur, December 21
The local administration, along with a police team, conducted anti-encroachment drive against kinnow vendors on the Chandigarh-Ambala Highway here today.

Teacher booked for molestation
Mohali, December 21
A government school teacher of Churheri village was booked for molesting an 8-year-old girl. The case has been registered against Sarbjit Singh on the complaint of victim’s father Bhupinder Singh.

Shopkeepers challaned
Chandigarh, December 21
Thirtyeight shopkeepers at the Motor Market in Sector 48 here were challaned by the enforcement department of the municipal corporation under a special anti-encroachment drive today.

Another case of cheating
Mohali, December 21
Yet another incident of inmate of Paraplegic Home in Phase VI being cheated by a former Verka employee Kulbir Singh has come to light. Prem Singh, an inmate of Paraplegic Home, complained that Kulbir Singh, Parminder
Kaur, Baljit Kaur, Harpreet Kaur, and Sohan Singh formed a society and took Rs 2 lakh from him as fixed deposit.

A player of St Soldier’s School in action during a cricket match at Sector 26 in Chandigarh on Tuesday.
A Tribune photograph

YPS beat APJ in nail-biting finish
Chandigarh, December 21
Six-wicket haul by Eashem Singh (6 for 22) enabled YPS, Mohali, to beat APJ, Kharar, in a low-scoring match but neck and neck contest that went to the last ball of the match of the under-14 Haier Cup Cricket Tournament at Government Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 19 here today.

Kabir registers easy win over Dhananjay
Panchkula, December 21
Kabir Manrai of the Chandigarh Club Tennis Academy moved into quarterfinal round after registering an easy win over Dhananjay Singh of Himachal Pardesh 4-0, 4-0 in the ongoing Manav Mangal Talent Series Tournament for boys and girls under 12 at Manav Mangal School, Sector 11, courts here today.

Japleen, Aashin shine
Chandigarh, December 21
Japleen and Aashin from Jal House secured first and second positions, respectively, while Parneet of Prithvi House finished third in U-15 girls category in the first Millennium School Inter-House Athletics Meet, commenced at the Sector 7 Sports Complex, here, today.

Dhruv Pandove tourney from December 25
Patiala, December 21
Black Elephant Cricket Club will hold the 10th edition of the Dhruv Pandove Memorial (U-12) League-cum-knockout Cricket Tournament from December 25 to 29. Twelve teams from various parts of the state will take part.